Honors PortfolioEric FrisTexas A&M University

The field of engineering, specifically chemical engineering, is historically relatively stable. I am from the greater Houston area, and despite changes in the economy and the energy sector, I have seen Houston remain fairly stable economically, and the energy sector has only continued to grow. As a student aspiring to be a chemical engineer, stability in my intended field is a key area of concern. However, in my own backyard, a great change is being made that has great promise but will also have unanticipated effects. Most locals and people the energy industry in Texas are familiar with the big change ExxonMobil is making. The world’s third largest company by revenue is consolidating offices and building, from the ground up, a 10,000 employee headquarters just south of The Woodlands, Texas. About 8,000 employees are expected to come from the greater Houston area, with the remaining 2,000 being transplanted from other states. This move has a number of major implications that ripple through the engineering industry, the oil industry, and the local economy. The campus sits on 385 acres, a sizable purchase given that most of the land in the area is highly developed with infrastructure already. The construction costs are estimated to total $1.2 billion. Even the construction alone has provided a boost to the local economy, as contractors demand workers and resources. The investment ExxonMobil has made will surely significantly increase the value of the surrounding developments and properties as well. The economic implications to this new headquarters are tremendous. The surrounding community, specifically The Woodlands, has for a long time supported a business environment. However, in 2015 10,000 ExxonMobil employees will now be depending on local infrastructure for food, housing, and other needs. This will bring a large amount of money to the local economy. The annual gross revenue of all the employees at this campus is expected to be upwards of $100 million, a number which will bring a large disposable income to local businesses. In addition, the surrounding area has already seen increased demand in the real estate sector due to anticipation of housing needs for all of these employees. What does such a massive change mean for ExxonMobil, for the local energy economy, and the local area? ExxonMobil has always had a large presence in the greater Houston area, but this new headquarters and influx of employees will certainly increase it. Until it is complete, no one knows for sure what all the implications will be for the local economy. However, I can predict what experience and education I will need to successfully navigate the field of engineering with circumstances such as these. ExxonMobil’s new campus development is a simple example of the growth the energy sector is experiencing across the board. Furthermore, engineering continues to grow (as we even see at Texas A&M with the 25 by 25 plan for the College of Engineering). As this field grows, employers are gaining an increasing supply of educated engineers as well as the ability to exercise increased selectivity. In other words, ExxonMobil is one of many companies demanding more engineers. However, as the supply of new engineers grows, a company such as ExxonMobil can also be highly selective and seek only the best and brightest. What this means for me is that by Fall of 2017 I will very likely be faced with a highly attractive but also highly competitive job market. There are a number of advantages and disadvantages with this job market and with seeking a large multinational corporation such as ExxonMobil. If I want to be hired by such a company and start at a reasonably high salary, I am going to have to stand out from the ground with a polished resume, solid GPR, and research and internship experience. However, if current trends continue, I should also have some bargaining power and selectivity on my own part because such a company would have good reason to hire me if I can succeed as I expect to here at Texas A&M. Many of the concepts I discussed regarding this specific example with ExxonMobil also point to the idea that no matter what major I graduate with, it is important to have a solid understanding of the business world associated with my career path. In what is in many ways a dynamic market, understanding of the current hiring trends, starting salaries, and career mobility will be invaluable when seeking career placement. I know that these are all things that I can learn in my education at Texas A&M. Above all the facts and figures remains this: the growth in the energy sector and in engineering is exciting. Seeing the physical aspects of the growth – the construction and completion of such a grand project by ExxonMobil – points to the opportunity in this field. While even the best experts can never be certain how changes such as this will affect ExxonMobil, the community, and the local industry, one thing is certain. To face the challenge of an increasingly demanding job market, to navigate the issues of such a massive company-wide shift, and to handle all the problems associated with an engineering field that are far more business related, I will need to take advantage of all that Texas A&M has to offer in order to make the best of my education. References Sarnoff, Nancy. "Exxon Campus Overview." Houston Chronicle. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Jan. 2014. <http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/sarnoff/article/Exxon-Mobil-campus-overview-It-s-big-4449351.php#/0>. Sarnoff, Nancy. "ExxonMobil Reveals to Investors." Prime Property. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Jan. 2014. <http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2013/08/exxon-mobil-shows-off-its-new-campus-to-investors/#14946101=0>.